Chair-seat.



N0. 662,647. Patented Nov. 27, I906.

M. V. B. HOWE.

CHAIR SEAT.

(Application filed May 21, 1900.) (No Model.)

tree.

ATET

MARTIN V. B. HOWE, OF GARDNER, MASSACHUSETTS.

CHAIR-SEAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 662,647, dated November27, 1900.

i Application filed May 21, 1900. Serial No. 17,392. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MARTIN V. B. Hown, a citizen of the United States,residing at Gardner, in the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented a new and useful Chair-Seat, of which thefollowing is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide a strong, durable,attractive, and at the same time inexpensive chair-seat which isespecially designed to be used in situations in which chair-seats ofcane have heretofore been almost exclusively employed.

To this end this invention consists of the chair-seat and thecombination of parts therein, as hereinafterdescribed, and moreparticularly pointed out in the claims at the end of this specification.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a plan view, partially brokenaway, of a chairseat constructed according to this invention. Fig. 2 isa transverse sectional View of the same upon an enlarged scale; andFigs. 3 to 5, inclusive, are detail sectional views illustrating themanner in which the Woven-wire supporting fabric is first stretched andsecured in place.

In a large percentage of chairs now in use woven-cane seats areemployed. The use of cane for seating chairs is objectionable, not onlyfor the reason that cane seating wears out rapidly, so that the same hasto be frequently repaired, but is also objectionable as it is a matterof increasing difficulty to obtain good qualities of cane. The use ofcane for the manufacture of chairs is now so extensive that the price ofcane seating is comparatively high, while the quality of cane obtainableis not as good.

The especial object of my present invention is therefore to provide achair-seat which may be manufactured and placed on the market at a lowercost than the cane chair-seat and which will present a richer andhandsomer appearance and which will also have greater durability andstrength. To accomplish this object, a chair-seat constructed accordingto my invention comprises a strong supporting fabric, preferably wovenwire cloth, which is tightly stretched and secured to the seat-frame,and a covering of fabric forming the top surface of the seat, which issupported by the woven-wire supporting fabric, the supporting fabric andthe covering fabric being, secured to the seat frame by separatesplines.

The top fabric forming the surface of the seat may be formed by a pieceof enamel cloth, real or imitation leather, or any of the desiredflexible fabrics which will present an attractive appearance and havethe necessary durability or wearing quality.

The fastening devices which I employ for stretching and securing thewire-cloth to the seat-frame and for holding the top fabric in' placepreferably comprise two independent splines or securing-strips which arefitted into a groove in the seat-frame one on top of the other. Thebottom spline not only forms a fastening device for holding thewire-cloth in place, but it also serves as a means for stretching thewire-cloth from all sides to secure that degree of tightness which Ihave found to be essential to prevent the chair-seat from sagging orbeing dished. The top spline, which fits into the groove on top of thebottom spline, acts simply to hold the top fabric in place.

If desired, one or more thicknesses of cushioning or upholsteringmaterial may be interposed between the supporting and top fabric of thechair-seat.

Referring to the accompanying drawings and in detail, the chair-seatherein illustrated consists of a seat-frame A, which may be of theordinaryor usual construction and which is provided with a groove B,which is of greater depth than the grooves of the ordinary chair seatframe. The seat portion proper, as herein illustrated, comprises asupporting fabric 10, of woven-wire cloth, and a top fabric l1, whichmay be made to imitate leather or may be formed by any suitable flexibleor woven fabric. interposed between the supporting Wire fabric 10 andthe top fabric 11 may be one or more layers of upholstering material, as12.

The manner in which the supporting fabric of Woven-wire cloth is securedin place is most clearly illustrated in Figs. 8 to 5, inclusive.

As shown in Fig. 3, the woven-Wire fabric The use of wire-clothstretched and secured in place in this manner for a seat-su pport I havefound to be desirable, not only for the reason that the same possessesgreat strength and durability, but also on account of the fact that thewire-cloth itself will form a strong bond or connection which tiestogether the pieces forming the seat frame itself. To complete theconstruction of the seat-frame, the top fabric is then put in position,one or more layers of upholstering material being interposed between thesupporting fabric and top fabric of the chair-seat, if desired, and isheld in place by a top spline 14, which fits into the groove 13 abovethe bottom spline 13. The splines 13 and 1 1 may consist of Woodenstrips in the ordinary manner, or where the groove B is more or lesscurved splines or strips of rattan may be .used, if desired.

The upper edge of the top spline 14 may be rounded to form a bead in theordinary manner, or, if preferred, strips of brass trimming 15 orsimilar material may be arranged to cover the top spline, as shown.

One especial advantage in the use of chairseats constructed according tomy invention resides in the ease with which the same may be repaired orre-covered-that is to say,whenever the top fabric of a chair-seatconstructed according to my invention becomes Worn through or otherwisedamaged to repair the chair-seat it is then simply necessary to removethe top spline and top fabric, permitting a fresh covering or top fabricand spline to be replaced Without disturbing or removing the wire-clothsupporting fabric.

I am aware that numerous changes may be made in the construction of mychair-seat by those who are skilled in the art. I do not wish,therefore, to be limited to the construction herein shown and described;but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the UnitedStates, i's- 1. As an article of manufacture, a chairseat comprising agrooved seat-frame, a seat portion consisting of a supporting fabric, abottom spline fitting into the groove of the frame for stretching andsecuring the supporting fabric in place, a top fabric, and a separatespline fitting into the groove above the bottom spline to hold the topfabric in place, substantially as described.

2. As an article of manufacture, a chair seat comprising a groovedwooden seat-frame A, a supportng fabric 10 of woven-wire cloth, a topfabric supported by a woven-wire cloth, and independent splines forholding each of said fabrics in place on the seat-frame, substantiallyas described.

3. As an article of manufacture, a chairseat consisting of a woodenseat-frame A having a groove B around its inner edge, a sup portingfabric 10 of woven-Wire cloth which is stretched and held in place by aspline 13 driven to the bottom of the groove B, and a top fabric 11supported by said woven-wire cloth and secured in place by a spline 14fittinginto the groove B above the bottom spline 13, substantially asdescribed.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing witnesses.

MARTIN V. B. HOWVE.

Witnesses:

PHILIP W. SOUTHGATE, LOUIS W. SOUTHGATE.

